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Acapulco Gold (1976)

Plot: Ralph (Marjoe Gortner) is a simple insurance salesman, but a mixup involving pinatas has drawn him into a drug smuggling operation. At the airport, a nun is supposed to give a pinata filled with drugs to her dropoff man, but instead, gives it to poor old Ralph to hold. He finds himself arrested and even thrown in the clink, for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. At least he gets a little assistance from a local alchoholic, Carl (Robert Lansing) who seems to be more aware and informed than people suspect. Now the drug traffickers plan to make use of Ralph’s unfortunate luck, making him into a distraction to lead the feds around. In the meantime, the plan is to complete the original drug shipment while Ralph occupies the federal agents, but of course, things don’t go exactly as planned.

Entertainment Value: A narrative that revolves around the drug smuggling trade might not seem like a natural choice for a light hearted, rated PG comedy, but that is exactly what we have in Acapulco Gold. The story is a brisk one, with an innocent dude swept into an ongoing drug operation and instead of sorting out the misunderstanding, he winds up in even deeper. The movie makes good use of the locales, giving us big, beautiful nature shots and a lot of scenes take place out on the high seas, so it feels like we’re in the tropical paradise ourselves. Although drugs, men with guns, and prison are prominent elements in the narrative, the movie rarely feels serious and even tense moments tend to be defused with humor. I don’t think I would call the tone zany per se, but it does feel very loose and light, a kind of wholesome take on a rather violent, dark business. Marjoe Gortner is pretty fun here, as a laid back dude who doesn’t let an arrest for drug trafficking, a stint in prison, and armed men all around him slow down his good time roll. The rest of the cast is fine, most seem like they’re just enjoying the locale and soaking up the sun and smoke. Randi Oakes has a supporting role and provides some eye candy, as well as a humorous car ride sequence. This one is a tough sell, as a silly, light comedy about drug smuggling is an odd duck, but I think the movie is fun and the music alone is worth a visit.

No nakedness. Some bikinis are seen of course, but this is a wholesome, PG rated flick, so naked flesh is a no-no. The same holds true for bloodshed, as the movie might be about drugs and armed traffickers, but no real violence happens. I did appreciate the helicopter stunt early on and there’s also some neat chases, but the action is laid back and not violent in the least. I liked the dialogue here, as it was kind of odd to have such breezy exchanges when drugs and guns are involved. Ralph is an interesting character and he has some humorous lines, while some other minor dialogue bright spots crop up as well. The light humor isn’t going to dazzle everyone, but I thought it was fun and while not memorable, at least watchable. As for craziness, the idea of a PG rated, fluff movie about drug smuggling alone is enough to earn a point, while the brisk humor and characters tack on a second notch. Not a wild ride, but an interesting curio that makes some unexpected style choices.